Donald Trump said that Vitaly Churkin had played a vital role in working with the United States on major challenges to global security.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Late Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin has played a vital role in working with the United States on major challenges to global security, US President Donald Trump said in a statement.

"While American officials sometimes disagreed with their Russian counterparts, Ambassador Churkin played a crucial role in working with the United States on a number of key issues to advance global security," Trump stated on Tuesday.

Trump also offered condolences to the Russian people and government.

Churkin died in New York on February 20. The diplomat would have turned 65 on Tuesday, February 21.